Who: Vikings at Packers
Where: Lambeau Field
Spreads: Packers -2, O/U 37.5 and Broncos -3 O/U 41
Announcers: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski and Tony Kornheiser
Well MNF is finally back on-air and I couldn't be happier to be bringing you yet another season of live-blogs. Comment early and comment often because this is a full interactive website. Say something that makes us laugh or provide me with some announcer quotes and you'll say your name in this space. It's that easy!
The kickoff is coming up and we'll get things going with the Vikings and Packers soon....
"Brett Favre number four, he was a three time MVP, the only one in the league. How about this? Four times three equals twelve, Aaron Rodgers number."- Stu Scott
"Well you gotta remember what I used to see sixteen minus eight equals zero."- Steve Young
AA, I hope you got that exchange on Count Down b/w Stu, Steve and Emmitt. It started out with Stu talking about Tarvais Jackson "between the ears". It was a strange segment. (Via Anon)
I have it recorded, so it very well might be the MNF Video of the Day tomorrow. I can't wait to see it though.
"Steve, I couldn't agree, uh, I couldn't disagree with you if I wanted to."- Emmitt who then immediately disagrees with him
"Hi Brett, Hi Diana."- Mike Tirico
Emmitt is already in midseason form! (Via Anon)
Seriously. Those thoughts just don't seem to put themselves together in the right order do they?
7:08- Whooo! It appears the new Metallica album is our bumper music for the night and that couldn't make me happier. The first three songs released are pretty badass.
Hank Williams wants you "really" ready for Monday Night Football. So demanding...geesh. Here comes the kickoff. Packers get the ball first and we'll get to see Aaron Rodgers right away. Jordy Nelson brings it out to the 28 and we're underway...
Oh great a Sara Palin reference (
Via Anon)
"I call this the great gamble of the 2008 season. It's like John McCain picking Sarah Palin."- Tony Kornheiser
Ugh...here we go. Rodgers completes a few passes and the Pack is already approaching midfield and right on cue there's a holding penalty on Clifton. I really really like the no graphics at the top of the screen, but it's going to take awhile getting used to.
Jared Allen with a Family Guy reference...nice. FUMBLE! Rodgers drops the snap but gets it back. Oh man...on the next play Rodgers gets drilled into the ground after the whistle but no flag. That drive stalled out quickly and hey....a Derrick Frost sighting! That leads us to our first commercial break.
Hey, get ready to see this damn Brett Farve Wrangler Jeans commercial ALL night tonight. You could make up a drinking game off it and be plastered by halftime. (Via Lammy742)
The O/U is officially set at 14.
7:19- Man it's loud at Lambeau tonight. Peterson picks up 3 on his first carry which is followed by a Jackson scramble for two. Back to the graphics. I'd really appreciate a down and distance somewhere other than on the field, ESPN....thanks! Jackson runs again and picks up a first.
"I like to see a quarterback take a run option when nothing else is available."- Ron Jaworski
"That's because you couldn't run."- Tony Kornheiser
First, what the heck is Jared Allen wearing on his head? Second, did he just intro one of his teammates as "Ray 'When I'm Not Playing, I'm Enjoying a Bubble Bath' Edwards"? File that under Too Much Information. (Via Mal)
Nick Barnett follows him with the longest lineup intro ever and while he's doing that Chester Taylor gets another Vikings first down.
"Last year he was the Rookie of the Year and he went over a million yards like nine times."- Tony Kornheiser channeling his inner 12-year old girl
Jackson goes down on a sack from Aaron Kampman and Guitar Hero star Chris Kluwe punts it back to the Packers. Timeout.
7:29- "He sits and listen when people like me talk about him."- Tony Kornheiser
"Especially you talking about him."- Ron Jaworski
"I know nothing!"- Tony Kornheiser
Fumble! Jackson loses the ball butt it bounces directly to Greg Jennings who gets a first down. The Umpire gets rundown and there's a 12-men in the huddle penalty on the Packers to boot. That was fun. 1st and 25 now. No wait....another penalty on the Packers. Make that 1st and 33 after a hold.
"If they go any further back they'll be in Michigan."- Tony Kornheiser
After a run and a great play by Ced Griffin on a WR Screen and it's only 3rd and 28 now. And there goes the drive. Another punt.
You should keep a tally of how many times Brett Favre is mentioned tonight. Just including the game (not pregame), I think I've heard about 4 references to him. (Perhaps another idea for a drinking game?) (Via Jay)
Approved!
OK - if the Three Stooges keep thinking about What Would Favre Do (WWFD) on every play, then should we wonder what call Cosell or Michels would make? Give it a rest fellas. (Via Mal)
Also approved.
7:38- PETERSON JUST DESTROYS AL HARRIS ON A RUN!!! Whoooo and he gets to the corner on the next play! 35 yarder!!! Man he is fun to watch. Taylor gets another chance and even more yardage gained on the Packers via the ground.
And that's the end of the first quarter.....0-0.
And Jacobs just flattens Carlos Rogers again....oh wait, it's AP over Al Harris. (Via SS)
Haha. Thanks for reminding me...a-hole! Tirico talks about his radio show, which is slowly becoming a weekly feature, and here's a FG attempt for the Vikings....
Good. 3-0 Vikings, 13:35 to go in the 2nd.
7:50- Green Bay ball on the 30 to start the drive. Brett Favre tribute.....DRINK!
RODGERS GOING DEEP! Jennings got it!!! 56 yarder down to the Vikings' six. That was a heck of a throw young man and of course the booth immediately says it was Favre'esqe. Apparently "Less is More" actually means "Hammer Stories To Death". 2nd and goal and Rodgers is dropped for a sack....wait flag....defensive holding.
1st and goal now from the one. Grant goes nowhere and we've got another flag. Offsides and man does that ref have one hell of a lisp. More Jaws and Tony bantering and Grant gets blasted again. Hey Packers, breaking news....the Vikings are pretty good up the middle, or so I've been told. Another run, this time to the right and Grant almost gets in. 3rd and Goal....Rodgers scrambles....
Touchdown Packers! Rodgers to Hall on a fadeaway. 7-3 Packers, 10 minutes left to go.
"That's exactly the kind of pass Favre would have thrown. Does it remind you of him at all?"- Tony Kornheiser
"Yes, but you've got to let it go, Tony."- Ron Jaworski
Seriously. He's really driving me crazy and I think he's doing it on purpose.
7:59- What's with all the flags? Does Donaghy have the under on this game or something? (Via Mal)
I didn't see this many flags at the Olympics. (Via Anon)
It's really out of control tonight. That's five for each team so far.
"Gonna throw down here...Oh boy....TOUCHDOWN! COREY HALL!" - Mike Tirico
That's the 1st time I heard "oh boy" as a quarterback is scrambling. (Via J Fein)
Good catch. He was out of his seat on that call. Vikings ball at their own 20 and Jackson throws it away on first down. A run for a yard and it's 3rd and 9. Jackson to Berrian deep....incomplete, but there's more laundry on the field. Pass interference and the ball goes all the way out to the 50. Jackson up to again! Incomplete though.
He's just Favring it all over the field tonight. Sorry, I was channeling my inner-Kornheiser. Vikings getting ready to punt again after a nice play from Bigby.
"It's all about penetration." - Ron Jaworski (Via SS Reporters)
Damn straight it is, Ron! Wait.....so there's ANOTHER game tonight??? Why didn't anyone tell me?!?
8:09- Ryan Grant breaks one for twenty and Ron Jaworski promptly discusses the Rodgers throw from fifteen minutes ago. I'm pretty sure someone told Tony to cool it with the Favre stuff because he's been silent for about 5 minutes now.
Wait, sorry....back to the "gamble" speech again about Rodgers. Driver gets a nice pass from #12 and the Packers are rolling now. Tony and Ron start arguing about the Favre decision by reciting their script from the preseason.
Crosby hits a 42-yarder and it's 10-3 with 3 minutes to play.
8:19- Are these ten-minute commercial breaks the way for ESPN to make up for not turning a football game into Oprah in the 3rd quarter? (Via Hollywood Wags)
Yeah they do seem longer this year. Jackson throwing deep to Berrian again and wow....Berrian got mugged and no call. 3rd and short and the Vikings don't pick it up. I'd go for it, but they're punting....2 minute warning hits first though.
Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre and Brett Favre.
Rodgers and the Packers go on the attack again. Incomplete on first down, nowhere on second but a first down on third down. Rodgers hits Jennings again and calls timeout. Ball at the Minnesota 36. Rodgers scrambles for twenty one and the place goes crazy. Great decision there. 1st down and Rodgers throws the ball away....well no....it's caught somehow but out of bounds. There's a penalty anyway.
"He looks like Jack Black, only bigger."- Tony Kornheiser
His pop culture knowledge knows no bounds! Green Bay throws a screen and then wussilly lets the clock rundown for a FG which is subsequently blocked by the Vikings.
10-3 Vikings at the Half and I'll see you momentarily in a new thread.
Emmitt is already in midseason form!
ReplyDeleteSo, whos going to have more picks in the first quarter, Rodgers or Jackson?
ReplyDeleteHey, get ready to see this damn Brett Farve Wrangler Jeans commercial ALL night tonight. You could make up a drinking game off it and be plastered by halftime.
ReplyDeleteYou'd think the folks at Bristol could come up with a better name than "Monday Night Football Launch" for the opening tease with the Three Stooges...but alas this is Bristol.
ReplyDeleteOooooh, Bradshaw makes a cameo in the Hank Williams, Jr. video. Bradshaw's appearance was cleared by his ex-wife...and his other ex-wife...and his other ex-wife...
Oh great a Sara palin referance
ReplyDeleteFirst positive: The new scoreline at the bottom. Graphically simple and effective. The translucent ESPN bug in the bottom right needs to be moved though.
ReplyDelete"You must have been a quarterback" - Tony, sarcastically to Jaws.
ReplyDeleteTony Kornheiser mentions Sarah Palin. How fitting considering that she knows so little about being a vp and he knows so little about football.
ReplyDeleteThe Vikings lineup presented by Jared "Does this hat make me look like Hank" Allen.
ReplyDeleteThey should've gave Jared Allen the breathalizer before espn let him do that intro.
ReplyDeleteTeddy Roosvelt referance? WTF
ReplyDeleteFirst, what the heck is Jared Allen wearing on his head? Second, did he just intro one of his teammates as "Ray 'When I'm Not Playing, I'm Enjoying a Bubble Bath' Edwards"? File that under Too Much Information.
ReplyDeleteoh brett farve would not have dropped that snap
ReplyDeleteI like simplicity of the scoreboard, but does it really need to be half the size of the Monday Night Football logo at the bottom? It's kind of distracting.
ReplyDeleteAA, the ball is going forward, get used to it again, this is not Redskins football.
ReplyDeleteApparently, the producers told the players to do your best homage to Berman...we get it...STOP IT!
ReplyDeleteTaravirius Jackson makes passing decisions like Atari Bigby's mother made child-naming decisions.
ReplyDelete"He went over a 1,000,000 yards, like 9 different times". -Tony Kornheiser on Adrian Peterson.
ReplyDeleteWow...Peterson should really quit football and run marathons instead.
i think this is the only football presentation i've ever seen that doesn't show down and yardage on the screen.
ReplyDeleteThey have to gove me the down & distance somewhere else. The whole color coded markers is kinda hokey to me.
ReplyDeleteTony Kornheiser: (about Adrian Peterson) "He got over a million yards last year 9 different times"
ReplyDeleteWow I don't have the stats in front of me but thats gotta be some kind of a record.
So who wants to bet how many times Jackson will referred to as "athletic?"
ReplyDeleteThe Packers so planned that.
ReplyDeleteAnd we get in super slo-mo, terrible NFL football.
ReplyDeleteTony talks about Aaron Rodgers being surprised at people talking about him on TV. Ummm...This just in...Television time is devoted to the most popular sport in the world.
ReplyDelete4 penalties in 1 drive....I thought the Raiders were playing in the 2nd game?
ReplyDeleteYou should keep a tally of how many times Brett Favre is mentioned tonight. Just including the game (not pregame), I think I've heard about 4 references to him. (Perhaps another idea for a drinking game?)
ReplyDelete"There is no play in Mike McCarthy's playbook for 1st and 33." - Jaws
ReplyDeleteOr any coach for that matter Jaws....
Was that a 6ft 350lb bratwurst, or a Packer fan
ReplyDeleteahh a down and yardage sighting on the bottom bar
ReplyDelete5 Penalties Brett Farve would not have this many
ReplyDelete"At least they went 3 plays without a flag. That's an encouraging sign". - Mike Tirico
ReplyDeleteHere's my prediction, the Vikes are going to win a low scoring snooze fest like 13-3 and everyone's going to be yapping about how good their defense is but it's only going to be because Rodgers sucks so bad. Then next week the Vikes will get blown out by the Colts.
ReplyDeleteOK - if the Three Stooges keep thinking about What Would Favre Do (WWFD) on every play, then should we wonder what call Cosell or Michels would make? Give it a rest fellas.
ReplyDeleteWhy in the world can't Monday Night Football get their scoreboard just like it is with college football and basketball? What a joke. The scoreboard takes up so much space on my screen. Color coding of the Line of scrimmage and down and distance on the field. You're better than this ESPN or are you?
ReplyDeleteAnd Jacobs just flattens Carlos Rogers again....oh wait, it's AP over Al Harris.
ReplyDeleteTirico: "Wow. Adrian Peterson putting on the moves".
ReplyDeleteWhat would Cossell say: "Look at that little monkey go".
Al Harris just got his dick knocked off by Purple Jesus
ReplyDeleteThis game might be so depressing to Packers fans it just might cause them to STOP eating and drinking
ReplyDeleteIf anyone had Nate Burleson on their fantasy team, he tore his ACL, out for the season......I'm going to cry now.
ReplyDeleteIt's a damned shame to interrupt this awesome football with all these commercials.
ReplyDeleteHey ssreporters, Jacobs flattened LaRon Landry the other day, not Rogers (although he's probably run over 80% of the NFC East DBs at some point...).
ReplyDeleteThe state of Washington is in the middle of the worst football week ever.
ReplyDeleteThe Seahawks suck and are banged up.
Washington and Washington State suck.
Oklahoma vs. Washington will be called by Mike Patrick.
A Hallmark Moment about the life of Brent Farve, brought to you by ESPN and Tony Kornhieser.
ReplyDeletei'd like to see them use different Tallica songs on the outro than Fuel and TDTNC.
ReplyDeleteby the way, i have death MAgnetic and it is their best album in 20 years
Crap, I have Burleson, too. Oh well, he helped me win Week 1. Time to make a trade! (Damn, those Seahawks have NO wideouts now.)
ReplyDeleteYou'd swear Brett Favre just retired again with the way ESPN is treating this.
ReplyDeleteOh goody, another Brett Favre reference.
ReplyDeleteWow, great throw by Rodgers and a great catch by Jennings!
Tony: "That's exactly the kind of pass Favre would have thrown". Only if the next throw is a pick six into triple coverage. But, hey, Brett is just being Brett and trying to win the game.
ReplyDeleteJay, Bobby Engram and Deion Branch will be back after the bye week, Branch maybe even before that.
ReplyDeleteSeneca Wallace will be WR as well.
But yeah, I'm getting prepared for a possible 8-8 season.
Tony: "That's exactly the kind of pass Favre would have thrown"
ReplyDeleteI think Tony's mouth is on fire from the herpes he is getting from felating Brett Favre tonight..
I can only imagine what Adrian Peterson is going to do that Detroit defense. He may rush for 300 yds. Detroit might be the worst defensive football team I've ever seen, at least on the NFL level.
ReplyDeleteThe refs shouldn't bother to pick up the flag, there is going to be one every play, it saves them the trouble of doing this.
ReplyDeletei didn't see this many flags at the Olympics
ReplyDelete"It's all about penetration." - Ron Jaworski
ReplyDeleteOf course it is.
What's with all the flags? Does Donaghy have the under on this game or something?
ReplyDeleteTony: "That's a Favre-like throw". Don't drink. Puke.
ReplyDelete"better than you"
ReplyDeletea very underrated metallica song
"Gonna throw down here...Oh boy....TOUCHDOWN! COREY HALL!" - Mike Tirico. That's the 1st time I heard "oh boy" as a quarterback is scrambling.
ReplyDeleteAnd another Brett Favre reference by Tony Kornheiser. Anyone playing a Brett Favre drinking game is probably dead drunk by now. And it's only the 2nd quarter.
I'm amazed Tony can still speak coherently with a mouth full of Brett Favre's genetic material.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised Tony can talk at this point with Favre's....you finish the sentence.
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm Wilford Brimley.
ReplyDeleteDo you have Diabeetus?
I'm a big fan of any punchlines involving genetic material.
ReplyDeleteIn the dictionary under "flash-in-the-pan," there's a picture or Ryan Grant...and a hundred other NFL backs just like him.
ReplyDeleteOuch pm, one minute apart......I'm late.
ReplyDeleteanybody else think of "To Catch a Predator" the way Jaws said that LOVES young quarterbacks
ReplyDeleteRe: the penalties. Jeff Triplett is one of those officials that loves to make himself noticed.
ReplyDeleteFran Tarkenton would have thrown that ball on the money.
ReplyDelete"Al Harris loves this position, he loves to push, grab, hold, jam." - Jaws
ReplyDeleteEEEWWWWWWWW!
It's okay, SSR. Small payback for your lot nicking Berba from my Spurs.
ReplyDeleteAre these ten-minute commercial breaks the way for ESPN to make up for not turning a football game into Oprah in the 3rd quarter?
ReplyDeleteTavaris Jackson is till the worst QB in the NFC.
ReplyDeleteSigned,
Kyle Orton
Vikes shoulda resigned Culpepper. Remember when Culpepper first came into the league and ran over the defense like a fullback? How awesome would it be to see Culpepper and Peterson lowering shoulders into linebackers? I'd pay to see that, plus it couldn't be any worse than TJ.
ReplyDeleteI think Rodgers is gonna be very good. I'm glad I got him as my fantasy backup QB.
ReplyDeleteIt's not really payback, you should enjoy a bottom 10 finish though. No Keane, no Berba.......and you got Frazier Campbell.
ReplyDeleteCome on, Pavulychenko is worth something, no worries.
That's it, I've muted the TV.....
ReplyDeleteKornheiser sounds like Bill Brasky tonight. I'm surprised he hasn't asked retorically what the score would be if Brett Farve played the Vikings by himself.
ReplyDeleteAnd Campbell is already chirping about how is future is at OT.
ReplyDeleteI'll be happy with 10th the way they've been playing. Hard to believe Levy let 60 goals walk out the door and thought the club could get on.
BTW, I'm interested to see how the Old Trafford faithful react when they realize Berbatov is a more brilliant version of Anelka. Better skills, same attitude.
I'm surprised we've not heard more "what if Brett had gone to the Vikings" ramblings from Tony K.
ReplyDelete"When you're loading up the box with defenders." - Jaws
ReplyDeleteSorry, I actually meant Bill Swerski and not Brasky. I got my SNL sketches mixed up.
ReplyDeleteTavaris Jackson is tearing it up! 6 yards passing at the 2 minute warning. Glad I got him to back up Brady on my fantasy team
ReplyDeleteJaws said loading up the box...cue Beavis and Butthead laugh
ReplyDeleteThis game is starting to look like the Vikings games at the end of last year, when teams put 8 in the box and dared Jackson to beat them.
ReplyDeleteAnd he couldn't do it.
Anon 8:20, it's okay, no one watches SNL or finds it funny anyway.
ReplyDeletewhat's with the band on the sideline? although it does go perfect with the high school caliber football we're seeing.
ReplyDeletesomeone should tell ESPN that there are other Metallica songs than Fuel
ReplyDeleteIf Brett Favre ran on that play he would've scored a touchdown because he is Brett Favre.
ReplyDelete"He looks like Jack Black, but much bigger." - Tony K.
ReplyDelete"Looks like Jack Black, only much bigger". - Tony Kornheiser
ReplyDeleteIs anyone else noticing that there have been no sideline updates?
ReplyDeleteThe Favre worship has officially jumped the shark. By week 8, he could be the most hated player in the league.
ReplyDeleteRodney Harrison will be relieved.
ESPN should sample from the surfs and use the word "farve" as an adjective and noun in every sentence.
ReplyDeleteIt's a very farve day in green bay.
Rodgers threw the farve out of the football.
Tony Kornheiser is all the worst traits of Bill Simmons, John MAdden, and Dennis Miller combined in one person.
ReplyDelete"There was no penetration whatsoever." - Jaws
ReplyDelete"There was no penetration whatsoever."
ReplyDeleteKobe didn't rape the girl.
"No penetration whatsoever..." besides that guy diving across the ball...
ReplyDeleteWow, i didn't know Jaws was flexible enough to put his foot in his mouth.
ReplyDeleteApparently ESPN does not realize that HDTVs are made to see MORE of a picture and a useless color bar on the bottom SUCKS.
ReplyDeleteWTF
Jaws: "No penetration whatsoever."
ReplyDeleteThat's what she said.
Jaws - "I'll be right when they kick this field goal."
ReplyDelete"I'm gonna be right when they kick this field goal." - Jaws, right before the field goal was blocked.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as he said that, I had a feeling he was going to miss it.
Hi, I'm Tony Korniheiser, with Mike Tirico. Welcome to "Monday Night Favreball"
ReplyDeletethats not off metallicas new alum, that is Fuel, off of a previous album
ReplyDeleteI would've liked to hear Aaron Rodgers say, "This win feels great! F*CK YOU BRETT!"
ReplyDelete